Training

Welcome to our Union Resource Information pages. Here you will learn more about what it takes to become an apprentice or journey person in a specific skilled trade as well as read more in depth on IUPAT Ontario Union news and issues. We hope you find what you see helpful and encouraging as you share your Union career with others.

Did you know that there are several resources available to keep you up-to-date on safety and health training in Ontario? As a union member, it is essential to keep up with training so you are safe while on the job. We’d like to list several resources for you here and of course, encourage you to ask questions or let us know if you need any assistance scheduling a course in your trade of expertise.

If you’re looking to get into the trades in Ontario, chances are that you may shy away from any career that has to do with hazardous materials removal. However, if you are looking for a rewarding and challenging career where you can learn to handle hazard waste materials, like asbestos, then keep reading. We’ll touch base on how training that will keep you safe on the job site and benefits that will keep you “safe” when you’re an asbestos union member in Ontario.

If you are an owner of a business, you know that first impressions can make all the difference. The same is true of your storefront, business office or corporate complexes. Potential customers often make a snap judgement on the quality of service they will receive based on appearances…and that includes the way your building looks and feels when they walk through the doors.

If you’ve ever been in a building or home and noticed the beautiful glass work, mirrors, stained glass and framing, then you’ve noticed the work of a glazier. In Toronto, and throughout Ontario, new commercial and residential buildings, homes and condos, are going up changing the skyline. This gives glaziers throughout our province an opportunity to leave their mark and beautiful handy-work behind.

Are you looking for a new career field where you can use your hands and really get into your work? The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades in Ontario encourages you to consider a rewarding career in the drywall finishing trade. Also known as a taper, drywall finishers “finish” drywall by smoothing the creases where drywall boards meet by applying compound and drywall tape to ensure a smooth and consistent surface on walls and ceilings.

Have you been following the progress of the new building for IUPAT Ontario? Construction of the new headquarters, located next to our current location at 130 Toro Road, began in July 2013 and has been coming along nicely, despite delays Winter weather has caused. Currently, we are painting the interior and doing other final finishing. We’re excited to announce that our new facility should be open in late Summer 2014.

As a high school student, you are faced with many life decisions. One of the most important ones you’ll ever make surrounds your future. This means that you’re going to need to consider what your career options could be. Some of you may choose to become an educator, an accountant, an engineer, any other field/industry that will require you to go to a four-year University. While that’s a great option for some, it isn’t so much for others. Many may also dread the thought of being “stuck behind a desk” for more education at a University; even the thought of being behind a desk as a career choice is unappealing. The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades has an alternative for you. It’s called trade school and it is hands on from Day 1.

Are you interested in becoming more involved in the Union’s political activism? Lately, you may have seen more posts on our Facebook and Twitter pages in regards to campaigning events and political rallies where we have been able to show Union support as well as voice our opinions and issues to stop anti-union politicians from getting re-elected.

The beginning of the year typically lends itself to newness. Some may be thinking about how to earn more money; some may think about losing weight while others may consider whether it’s time for a new career. If the latter one applies to you, why not consider a rewarding career in the trades?